Rose did this weaving all by herself on the loom that we got her for Christmas. Big plans afoot for tomorrow's project.
This took me two days and that not a lot of days
Tomorrow I am going to do a fluffy blanket for Nanlove Rose
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Rose's first weaving
Tomorrow I am going to do a fluffy blanket for Nanlove Rose
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Post script to Blog Surfing
I take it back, I actually went to downshifting-path to simplicity and felt very comfy. Interesting read and good recipies.
Blog surfing
Spent the last few days wandering around blogger, lurking is the word I believe. Reading other blogs and seeing what is the shape of things.There are some very large, very impressive blogs out there with a community already attached it seems. It also appears quite cliquey and strangely intimidating for such a chatty place. Rather like walking into a room full of strangers that all know each other already. That coupled with the fact that I have no web manners at all, completely no awareness of 'netiquette' and have in the past, annoyed people severely in various chatrooms, leads me to the conclusion that this tiny, wee blog is just the right size for me.
Just read that through and it sounds a bit pathetic really. Like the party bore whom everyone avoids or worse, that sad little creature collecting the used glasses and doing the washing up as an excuse to hide in the kitchen. But well in the rare party that I actually attend, that sad little creature is usually me.
And so I will not walk into the room full of strangers but stay in this little corner of cyberspace muttering to myself and nursing my drink. Being brittle and trying not to cry.
Other than that I have had the desperate task of trying to get this house into some semblance of order and it is just not working. The sitting room is tidy, but as for the rest... yuk. So many toys, so little space.
Oh and I've started spinning once more just for fun rather than for the Christmas projects. I'm on laceweight shetland just for me to wind down. I have no plan in mind for it and I cannot or rather will not knit or crochet such difficult stuff, but my mum hasn't knitted fine stuff for some time so she can add it to her stash and it will free up 400gms of space in mine. Huzzah!
Just read that through and it sounds a bit pathetic really. Like the party bore whom everyone avoids or worse, that sad little creature collecting the used glasses and doing the washing up as an excuse to hide in the kitchen. But well in the rare party that I actually attend, that sad little creature is usually me.
And so I will not walk into the room full of strangers but stay in this little corner of cyberspace muttering to myself and nursing my drink. Being brittle and trying not to cry.
Other than that I have had the desperate task of trying to get this house into some semblance of order and it is just not working. The sitting room is tidy, but as for the rest... yuk. So many toys, so little space.
Oh and I've started spinning once more just for fun rather than for the Christmas projects. I'm on laceweight shetland just for me to wind down. I have no plan in mind for it and I cannot or rather will not knit or crochet such difficult stuff, but my mum hasn't knitted fine stuff for some time so she can add it to her stash and it will free up 400gms of space in mine. Huzzah!
Friday, December 29, 2006
Party! Party! Party!
I look forward to parties like werewolves look forward to a day trip to a silver mine.
28th December Craig y Nos Castle, Church on the Move's Christmas do: buffet, entertainment and dancing to follow.
Oh Lord
Parties are brimful of opportunities to say the wrong thing, to make an ass of oneself, to drink too much, to see lovely young women and remember that when I was their age I neither enjoyed that time nor appreciated what freedom it gave me or knew how fabulous I looked in that red crushed velvet.
And all the while V, my beautiful, gregarious aquarius with a leo moon, is roaming around the room charming people, helping to set up the mixing desk for the band, chatting, laughing, being wonderfully outrageously entertaining - he will sing later and bring the house down - and all this on nothing stronger than tap water.
So I know that I will spend the evening scrunched in a corner, bristles up, back arched and whiskers quivering, hissing unspeakable fear and loathing toward everyone.
OR
I could get a few drinks inside me and relax a bit.
So I hit the tia maria and ice (jolly nice it was too) and circulated, dropping hello, how are you, did you have a nice Christmas, yes very quiet, yes the kids enjoyed themselves, must go and see how James is doing, see you later. And before you know it I've done everyone in the room and can go back to the bar for another drink, so that's how I spent my evening and between that and wandering to the ladies to check that my eyeliner had not slipped nor my lipstick bled (makeup is anathema to me) I was kept quite busy. So by the third tia maria I was starting to enjoy myself and by the fifth I was on the dance floor with V looking pretty good apparently.
So I made a few discoveries that night
1. I can drink tia maria all evening and not get hammered
2. Parties are not as bad as I think they are provided I can do point 1
3. A black velvet column on a thity four year old is rather better than that red crushed velvet confection on a seventeen year old for any number of reasons. One of which is that the seventeen year old had not yet discovered tia maria.
28th December Craig y Nos Castle, Church on the Move's Christmas do: buffet, entertainment and dancing to follow.
Oh Lord
Parties are brimful of opportunities to say the wrong thing, to make an ass of oneself, to drink too much, to see lovely young women and remember that when I was their age I neither enjoyed that time nor appreciated what freedom it gave me or knew how fabulous I looked in that red crushed velvet.
And all the while V, my beautiful, gregarious aquarius with a leo moon, is roaming around the room charming people, helping to set up the mixing desk for the band, chatting, laughing, being wonderfully outrageously entertaining - he will sing later and bring the house down - and all this on nothing stronger than tap water.
So I know that I will spend the evening scrunched in a corner, bristles up, back arched and whiskers quivering, hissing unspeakable fear and loathing toward everyone.
OR
I could get a few drinks inside me and relax a bit.
So I hit the tia maria and ice (jolly nice it was too) and circulated, dropping hello, how are you, did you have a nice Christmas, yes very quiet, yes the kids enjoyed themselves, must go and see how James is doing, see you later. And before you know it I've done everyone in the room and can go back to the bar for another drink, so that's how I spent my evening and between that and wandering to the ladies to check that my eyeliner had not slipped nor my lipstick bled (makeup is anathema to me) I was kept quite busy. So by the third tia maria I was starting to enjoy myself and by the fifth I was on the dance floor with V looking pretty good apparently.
So I made a few discoveries that night
1. I can drink tia maria all evening and not get hammered
2. Parties are not as bad as I think they are provided I can do point 1
3. A black velvet column on a thity four year old is rather better than that red crushed velvet confection on a seventeen year old for any number of reasons. One of which is that the seventeen year old had not yet discovered tia maria.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Christmas Eve
I remember one Christmas morning, the winter's light and a distant choir, the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell and eyes full of tinsel and fire
This is my favourite day of the year. In the same way that I prefer wrapped presents to unwrapped ones. I love the anticipation, the gleeful excitement that whispers through me every so often like a remembered scent of childhood. I love the hush of early morning and the peace that comes with the night when the kids are in bed and it's just me and my beloved husband, a glass of something nice and the firelight glinting on the decorations.
My store cuboard is full to bursting, I have lots of good things to eat, my children are warm, healthy and have the gifts that they wanted: ludo and a hair& make up doll. They have rather more besides but its nice to give them something they ask for as well as stuff that you know they will like.
I have so much to be thankful for.
Thanks for peace in this land, for people and places that help, for men and women that will walk through fire for strangers, for plenty in our shops and even though there is much that is wrong about this country I give thanks for the many things that are right
I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave New Year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Morriston hospital
Walking down the hill away from my test, it was about 8:30 am and the sun just rising over Swansea mountain. The frost was thick and the nurses, doctors and porters coming off night shift had to scrape their cars clear before making for home. It was very cold and I felt very peaceful in the rose light of a winters morning.
On my way back to the car I passed Ty Olwen, the hospice for kids with cancer. There was a chapel there and through the stained glass I could see the alter covered with Christingle candles. Far too many. I thought of those parents who are helpless observers of the battle that goes on in their childrens bodies and I gave heartfelt thanks that we are well, healthy, strong and have a health service for those that are not.
On my way back to the car I passed Ty Olwen, the hospice for kids with cancer. There was a chapel there and through the stained glass I could see the alter covered with Christingle candles. Far too many. I thought of those parents who are helpless observers of the battle that goes on in their childrens bodies and I gave heartfelt thanks that we are well, healthy, strong and have a health service for those that are not.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Sunday Times Rant
I was reading the Sunday Times last night and throughly enjoying other peoples world view. I don't see many strangers and I definately don't talk to them so it is pleasant to read the papers because it feels like a converation of sorts with the additional benefit that you can turn the page if things get boring which even I in my monumental rudeness would be loath to do in the middle of a face to face conversation.
Anyway, there I was reading all about peoples impression of the world today. Rosie Millard on modern mistresses and Giles Hattersley going on about the eco terrorism of the coke barons - do you know that to produce 1kg of cocaine one uses 200kg of very bad pesticides etc and the terrible ensuing effect on the environment. So now Mr H has given up coke on moral grounds and is now attempting to convert others in his social circle to his point of view. Poor thing was having a terrible struggle with it too.
Then I went to bed - only to wake up as soon as my head touched the pillow because in my mind's eye I saw a cartoon very much in the Punch genre of the middle classes up on a chair holding her skirts up and shrieking at several rats that lay in wait around her. One was the social underclass, one was eco terrorism, one was a coke baron etc. I wish I could draw, I'd send it in and few others beside.
These people seem to have a horror of so much and they seem so surprised at it all. They mourn the death of the possesive apostrophe as the symbol of all that is wrong with this nation's education and don't seem to realise that it was their 1970's right on, liberal minded, middle class, nanny mentality parents, dreaming up reading schemes that failed to teach reading, removing corporal punishment which effectively emasculated discipline in the classroom and eventually introduced league tables that so stressed out teachers that they now concentrate on tests rather than fostering a love of learning and the subject in question.
And on top of all of this they utterly fail [split infinitive - I know] to realise that none of this is new. There they are littered with degrees ( earned one might add when a university education actually meant something and wasn't the raddled whore that it is today, stripped of its worth and dignity and forced to work the gutters for the Thatcherite/Blairite mutant product that is our political system). They almost all live within spitting distance of some darn fine art galleries, so why don't they toddle off down to one and have a look at Hogarth, or if that's too much trouble read some Dickens and paddle for a bit in the cesspool of the Victorian rookeries. It is insane that they do not understand that the terrifing mob underclass have always been with us from the plebians of Rome to the spectral hoodies of today. And whereas at one time the unwashed mass might join the army or navy in search of three meals a day and all the grog it could sink and become cannon fodder as the price, now they litter our prisons coming out to face the same appalling future that their forefathers did. There is no solution barring a mass revival that traditionally tidied up the underclass. Roll out a new improved Salvation army asap.
Sorry for the rant but I needed to get it off my chest and it's not as if any of this is new either. Back to cooking, felt and spinning tomorrow.
Anyway, there I was reading all about peoples impression of the world today. Rosie Millard on modern mistresses and Giles Hattersley going on about the eco terrorism of the coke barons - do you know that to produce 1kg of cocaine one uses 200kg of very bad pesticides etc and the terrible ensuing effect on the environment. So now Mr H has given up coke on moral grounds and is now attempting to convert others in his social circle to his point of view. Poor thing was having a terrible struggle with it too.
Then I went to bed - only to wake up as soon as my head touched the pillow because in my mind's eye I saw a cartoon very much in the Punch genre of the middle classes up on a chair holding her skirts up and shrieking at several rats that lay in wait around her. One was the social underclass, one was eco terrorism, one was a coke baron etc. I wish I could draw, I'd send it in and few others beside.
These people seem to have a horror of so much and they seem so surprised at it all. They mourn the death of the possesive apostrophe as the symbol of all that is wrong with this nation's education and don't seem to realise that it was their 1970's right on, liberal minded, middle class, nanny mentality parents, dreaming up reading schemes that failed to teach reading, removing corporal punishment which effectively emasculated discipline in the classroom and eventually introduced league tables that so stressed out teachers that they now concentrate on tests rather than fostering a love of learning and the subject in question.
And on top of all of this they utterly fail [split infinitive - I know] to realise that none of this is new. There they are littered with degrees ( earned one might add when a university education actually meant something and wasn't the raddled whore that it is today, stripped of its worth and dignity and forced to work the gutters for the Thatcherite/Blairite mutant product that is our political system). They almost all live within spitting distance of some darn fine art galleries, so why don't they toddle off down to one and have a look at Hogarth, or if that's too much trouble read some Dickens and paddle for a bit in the cesspool of the Victorian rookeries. It is insane that they do not understand that the terrifing mob underclass have always been with us from the plebians of Rome to the spectral hoodies of today. And whereas at one time the unwashed mass might join the army or navy in search of three meals a day and all the grog it could sink and become cannon fodder as the price, now they litter our prisons coming out to face the same appalling future that their forefathers did. There is no solution barring a mass revival that traditionally tidied up the underclass. Roll out a new improved Salvation army asap.
Sorry for the rant but I needed to get it off my chest and it's not as if any of this is new either. Back to cooking, felt and spinning tomorrow.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Sabbath bread and Stollen
Last meeting of the year in church today because of all the hassle with getting the hall over the Christmas season. So John preached a good one about gifts and what you might want isn't necessarily what you might get etc and getting to know Jesus as one of the best gifts we can recieve.
Then we had a bring a plate faith lunch and it was really good to have some fellowship time with the rest of the church 'cos normally I'm hurtling out at the end in an attempt to get my kids to bed after a busy evening meeting ready for school the next day.
I brought the sabbath bread that we normally have on the Friday evening meetings and as a kind of Christmassy effort I also made some stollen which is an aquired taste but if you like marzipan and not many do, it is worth the effort.
Anyway, here is the recipe for Sabbath Bread
Half a large packet of plain flour (I think that is 500gms but not sure)
1 sachet of dried yeast
salt 1 teaspn
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 fl oz milk warmed
2 medium eggs beaten
3 tablespns honey
Plonk the dry ingredients in a very large bowl, glass for preference as it holds the warmth. Add the oil, honey, eggs and milk and mix together, first with a fork and then with your hands. Knead it for about five or ten minutes whilst praying for the church especially the children. The texture should change from sticky to pliable silkiness.
Then cover it with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place for about an hour and a half until it has doubled in size. See the need for a large bowl!
Split the dough into three roughly equal pieces, roll into a long sausage, about the same width as well ... a sausage and then holding one end, plait the three sausages together in memory of the trinity.
Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and brush the loaf with some milk.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for 30 mins until it is toasty golden.
Stollen is very similar. I use the recipe and method outlined above but before adding the wet to the dry add chopped glace cherries, candied peel and chopped dried apricots in the proportions that you fancy but about 2 oz all told and knead in.
Then after its risen pat it out to a rectangle about (30 cm by 15cm) on a floured surface then take 250g of marzipan and roll into a sausage and place in centre of the dough and roll it round, seal with milk thne place on oiled baking tray, brush with milk and bake in preheated oven for 30 - 35 mins.
Stollen is best eaten fresh and warm but it is good the next day if you toast it.
Then we had a bring a plate faith lunch and it was really good to have some fellowship time with the rest of the church 'cos normally I'm hurtling out at the end in an attempt to get my kids to bed after a busy evening meeting ready for school the next day.
I brought the sabbath bread that we normally have on the Friday evening meetings and as a kind of Christmassy effort I also made some stollen which is an aquired taste but if you like marzipan and not many do, it is worth the effort.
Anyway, here is the recipe for Sabbath Bread
Half a large packet of plain flour (I think that is 500gms but not sure)
1 sachet of dried yeast
salt 1 teaspn
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 fl oz milk warmed
2 medium eggs beaten
3 tablespns honey
Plonk the dry ingredients in a very large bowl, glass for preference as it holds the warmth. Add the oil, honey, eggs and milk and mix together, first with a fork and then with your hands. Knead it for about five or ten minutes whilst praying for the church especially the children. The texture should change from sticky to pliable silkiness.
Then cover it with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place for about an hour and a half until it has doubled in size. See the need for a large bowl!
Split the dough into three roughly equal pieces, roll into a long sausage, about the same width as well ... a sausage and then holding one end, plait the three sausages together in memory of the trinity.
Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and brush the loaf with some milk.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for 30 mins until it is toasty golden.
Stollen is very similar. I use the recipe and method outlined above but before adding the wet to the dry add chopped glace cherries, candied peel and chopped dried apricots in the proportions that you fancy but about 2 oz all told and knead in.
Then after its risen pat it out to a rectangle about (30 cm by 15cm) on a floured surface then take 250g of marzipan and roll into a sausage and place in centre of the dough and roll it round, seal with milk thne place on oiled baking tray, brush with milk and bake in preheated oven for 30 - 35 mins.
Stollen is best eaten fresh and warm but it is good the next day if you toast it.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Chocolate making
I reckon I'm just about felted out. I've done Mrs J's mittens and they were a bugger to do if I'm honest. The camel down just would not felt so I hade to needlefelt white wool in patches behind it all so all told its a bit of a potch really. That said it doesn't look bad at all and the things after a bit of bother have held together well. Lily got hold of them when I wasn't looking and they stood up to her well so they cant be that badly made. But right now I don't think I could face making another pair today so Stephs "seascape" mitts will have to wait.
So now all the chores are done and I'm blogged up I am going to move onto the cooked goods to give for Christmas. The cranberry sauce is easy to do and can be done in under an hour leaving me free to do something else in the mean time.
So I want to do raspberry ripples, lemon creams, rum and raisen nuggets and brandy soaked cherries. I wouldn't mind a go at blueberry truffles either but I don't have any white chocolate yet. I'll have to wait until V gets back from shopping with his mum.
Rose had another bout with earache last night so yet another disturbed night for me and a day off school for her. So we are curled up watching the old BBC version of the Chronicles of Narnia right now as I have eventually become fed up of The Santa Clause and although I ordered The Snowman yonks ago with Amazon it still hasn't turned up yet.
So, time to stop talking and get shifting. I have a clean and tidy kitchen to mess up. Have at it!
So now all the chores are done and I'm blogged up I am going to move onto the cooked goods to give for Christmas. The cranberry sauce is easy to do and can be done in under an hour leaving me free to do something else in the mean time.
So I want to do raspberry ripples, lemon creams, rum and raisen nuggets and brandy soaked cherries. I wouldn't mind a go at blueberry truffles either but I don't have any white chocolate yet. I'll have to wait until V gets back from shopping with his mum.
Rose had another bout with earache last night so yet another disturbed night for me and a day off school for her. So we are curled up watching the old BBC version of the Chronicles of Narnia right now as I have eventually become fed up of The Santa Clause and although I ordered The Snowman yonks ago with Amazon it still hasn't turned up yet.
So, time to stop talking and get shifting. I have a clean and tidy kitchen to mess up. Have at it!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Flowers, felt and faulty cat flaps
Lets see, what have I done today?
Usual work, the morning is a blur so it must have been dull.
This afternoon I worked up five pieces of felt, some of which are just too lovely to cut. Marge gave me some Jacobs fleece in the summer and I promised myself that I would felt it. Well, six months later, here it is with jags of orange, green and red fizzing through it along with a whisper of heather tri lobal fibre to give it a lift. I can never resist a bit of sparkle.
This photo was added 31st Dec and it is in fact a scrap of said felt left over from the hat that I made out of it for Nick for Christmas
The pieces I made today were all meant to be plain as the palm halves of the patterened stuff I made a few days ago, but I only made one of those, all the others are lit up with silks or some uncarded mohair locks in "sea scape" from Winghams. These are destined for Steph eventually or I might give her the whole piece of the turquoise and cerise with spangly yarn felted through it... She'd like either.
The only problem now is that I have run out of feltable fibre. I don't think Winghams will be able to deliver stuff this close to Christmas and the guild have finished meeting until January. So if I want anything else now I'm going to have to see if Sharon has any fibre that she would like to sell. Or I could just make do with what I've got.
Went to see Rose's school play tonight, a retelling of the Mexican legend of the ponsettia. Rose was a mexican child and had a little dance to do. This time next year Eden and Lily will be in it. This time three years ago, they were the same size as your average kitten and living in an incubator. Time goes on square wheels sometimes.
So I have to go and fix the cat flap, Eden broke it this evening with a brush and Zac can no longer use it safely and it is blowing a gale into the house through the gap. After that I really must get the arms of V's jumper under control.
Nos da my lovlies
This afternoon I worked up five pieces of felt, some of which are just too lovely to cut. Marge gave me some Jacobs fleece in the summer and I promised myself that I would felt it. Well, six months later, here it is with jags of orange, green and red fizzing through it along with a whisper of heather tri lobal fibre to give it a lift. I can never resist a bit of sparkle.
This photo was added 31st Dec and it is in fact a scrap of said felt left over from the hat that I made out of it for Nick for ChristmasThe pieces I made today were all meant to be plain as the palm halves of the patterened stuff I made a few days ago, but I only made one of those, all the others are lit up with silks or some uncarded mohair locks in "sea scape" from Winghams. These are destined for Steph eventually or I might give her the whole piece of the turquoise and cerise with spangly yarn felted through it... She'd like either.
The only problem now is that I have run out of feltable fibre. I don't think Winghams will be able to deliver stuff this close to Christmas and the guild have finished meeting until January. So if I want anything else now I'm going to have to see if Sharon has any fibre that she would like to sell. Or I could just make do with what I've got.
Went to see Rose's school play tonight, a retelling of the Mexican legend of the ponsettia. Rose was a mexican child and had a little dance to do. This time next year Eden and Lily will be in it. This time three years ago, they were the same size as your average kitten and living in an incubator. Time goes on square wheels sometimes.
So I have to go and fix the cat flap, Eden broke it this evening with a brush and Zac can no longer use it safely and it is blowing a gale into the house through the gap. After that I really must get the arms of V's jumper under control.
Nos da my lovlies
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Less than two weeks to go
The days are slipping by me fast, people are asking me 'All set for Christmas?' and I am surprising myself as to how unset I am. I can't quite seem to enter into my usual enthusiasm. Mind you, my kids are driving me nuts and I haven't had a decent nights sleep in months so I'm not surprised I'm frazzed. I suppose Christmas will land on top off me as it generally does on the 22nd or there abouts. And yet we have lots of lovely things to do at this season, several parties and meals out etc.
There's even a couple of fancy dress do's and I haven't been to one of those since I was a kid.
I'm off as the Snow Queen, yard and a half of white velvet, some silver spangles, a little bit of tinsel (of course) and away to go. I don't even have to sew the thing, Which is good because crafty as I am, I sew like a bear.
Made some more felt today and I think my beginners luck has run out. More likely I knew I had a bit to do and rushed the job. Eden was determined to help and tipped the soapy water everywhere. Still, Mrs J's mitts are on their way. Botany sliver base overlaid with camel down, a little mulberry silk and a few dots of yak down. If felt could be tofifee sweets then this is it.
There's even a couple of fancy dress do's and I haven't been to one of those since I was a kid.
I'm off as the Snow Queen, yard and a half of white velvet, some silver spangles, a little bit of tinsel (of course) and away to go. I don't even have to sew the thing, Which is good because crafty as I am, I sew like a bear.
Made some more felt today and I think my beginners luck has run out. More likely I knew I had a bit to do and rushed the job. Eden was determined to help and tipped the soapy water everywhere. Still, Mrs J's mitts are on their way. Botany sliver base overlaid with camel down, a little mulberry silk and a few dots of yak down. If felt could be tofifee sweets then this is it.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Take a Butchers
Guild Christmas meal tonight instead of the usual monthly meet. We went to the Butchers Arms in Alltwen and it was very good indeed. Huge servings, rather too large perhaps, hardly anyone finished.
Perhaps it is a sad thing to say or not but the finest thing about it was the sauce on the Christmas pudding. I've always made mine like a custard, thickened with cornflour but in this one there was no trace of thickeners at all, egg nor flour and the texture was amazing.
Anyway, just as I was rhapsodizing about it out from the kitchen came this enormous chef (always a good sign in my opinion) and he went to get a well earned drink at the bar. So I thought why not, he can't possibly mind an admiring comment and he can only decline to share his recipie with me, so I went up to him and asked him how he made the sauce and it tuns out it is the most simple of stuff, all the best things are I think.The felted stocking that I made for the chairman's challenge (like a secret santa but with home made items) went down and okay and I got in return Isobel's beautiful conical 3d knitted Christmas tree made from homespun and dyed with woad and indigo, beaded and wrapped with gold braid for tinsel.
Isobel's Tree (mine now!)That little stocking of mine was easily the most simple thing made there, but these are craftswomen, not just dabblers such as I. However, I don't think I let myself down. Far better than the mutant fairy that I made as my first attempt. I put so much effort into it too and it looks purely awful. It is hanging up on the wall but only because I worked so hard on it. I don't think it will make it out for next year. Poor thing.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
The Little House That Christmas Taste Forgot
Decorated the tree last night and the rest of the place. Spent hours at it and we're still not done yet. And there was a terrible conflict in my soul - tinsel or no tinsel?
I love tinsel, I even love the sound of the word and I really love jewels colours, glitz and glitter of the most kitsch kind but I also love the spare, clean, white washed, gingham ribbon and gingerbread look. And they don't go together in the same room, or even the same house.
So after many digs by V about decorating woes I tried my best to get the house tastefully decorated. The tree has white lights, not a scrap of glitter, just some pretty red beads and lovely straw decorations with a few rustic small toys that I bought in Cowbridge a few years ago and never used because they didn't go with the kitschy lovely trash that is usually stacked up in my Christmas den.
Anyway, somehow - search me, some coloured fairy lights got in under the fence and before you know it tinsel has wrapped itself around the bannisters and draped around the pictures and lamps.
So there is our tree, a lone example of decorating purity amongst the flashing, glittering tinsellatted heap that is our house at Christmas.
I'm putting foil ceiling decorations up later. Is there no end to V's torture. Yes... roll on January 6th.
I love tinsel, I even love the sound of the word and I really love jewels colours, glitz and glitter of the most kitsch kind but I also love the spare, clean, white washed, gingham ribbon and gingerbread look. And they don't go together in the same room, or even the same house.
So after many digs by V about decorating woes I tried my best to get the house tastefully decorated. The tree has white lights, not a scrap of glitter, just some pretty red beads and lovely straw decorations with a few rustic small toys that I bought in Cowbridge a few years ago and never used because they didn't go with the kitschy lovely trash that is usually stacked up in my Christmas den.
Anyway, somehow - search me, some coloured fairy lights got in under the fence and before you know it tinsel has wrapped itself around the bannisters and draped around the pictures and lamps.
So there is our tree, a lone example of decorating purity amongst the flashing, glittering tinsellatted heap that is our house at Christmas.
I'm putting foil ceiling decorations up later. Is there no end to V's torture. Yes... roll on January 6th.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Silky mitts
I wonder if felting is taking over from spinning as the hobby of choice. It is certainly quicker to produce a working garment and it is meditative in its way. The design possibilities are limited only by one's imagination and its no harder to do than making bread.
Take for example the mitts that I made whilst in Ffald y Brenin. Done in an afternoon! and they are sooo snazzy with the streaks of silk and angelina fizzing through them. Okay, V postulated that they looked like alien varicose veins but to normal brains they definately look snazzy...possibly marbled if you wanted to look at it like that but to say veins would be just too cruel.
My mum loves them. They were made for Rose's teacher but I've since realised that Mrs J is more your stone and ecru kind of girl and these are firework colours all through. So they may end up as the girls Cristmas present to Nanna and Mrs J will get another set made from Jacob's fleece. Poor me - more felting to do, and I've still to do V's sleeves.
Take for example the mitts that I made whilst in Ffald y Brenin. Done in an afternoon! and they are sooo snazzy with the streaks of silk and angelina fizzing through them. Okay, V postulated that they looked like alien varicose veins but to normal brains they definately look snazzy...possibly marbled if you wanted to look at it like that but to say veins would be just too cruel.
My mum loves them. They were made for Rose's teacher but I've since realised that Mrs J is more your stone and ecru kind of girl and these are firework colours all through. So they may end up as the girls Cristmas present to Nanna and Mrs J will get another set made from Jacob's fleece. Poor me - more felting to do, and I've still to do V's sleeves.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Insomnia blues
Is there anything more annoying than being awake when you know that you should be asleep? To watch that precious time that you could be using recharging desperately low batteries slipping away from you, knowing that your kids aren't going to cut you any slack later on even if you are dying quietly into your cornflakes. I can't even hoover or put things away because that will disturb the house and all I have to do is lie there in bed waiting for the memories of all the crass and blundering things that I have lately done to come out from under the shadows and gnaw on my mind until I could take it no longer and decided to write about all this to take my mind off it.
There is logic in there somewhere but I'm not sure where.
The wind is mewling down the chimney, the rain is lashing down and it is cold in my lounge despite a thick dressing gown and a nice warm laptop on me. Its as good as a hot water bottle this. Even Zac is snoring beside me, curled up on his pillow, boneless as only a sleeping cat can be.
We are off to Ffald Y Brenin to... today. A retreat in the Preseli mountains. I could describe it, it is certainly pleasing in design and aethetics, quite Country Living in the simplest way, all whitewashed walls and oak beams but mere words do not do justice to this place so I will suffice to say that although I have not travelled as widely as some, I have done my share and seen some wondrous places but I have never walked in peace like there is in that valley. There is no sound there but the wind and the cry of red kites and the silence drapes over the place like a silk scarf. It passes understanding and I could do with some of it right now.
There is logic in there somewhere but I'm not sure where.
The wind is mewling down the chimney, the rain is lashing down and it is cold in my lounge despite a thick dressing gown and a nice warm laptop on me. Its as good as a hot water bottle this. Even Zac is snoring beside me, curled up on his pillow, boneless as only a sleeping cat can be.
We are off to Ffald Y Brenin to... today. A retreat in the Preseli mountains. I could describe it, it is certainly pleasing in design and aethetics, quite Country Living in the simplest way, all whitewashed walls and oak beams but mere words do not do justice to this place so I will suffice to say that although I have not travelled as widely as some, I have done my share and seen some wondrous places but I have never walked in peace like there is in that valley. There is no sound there but the wind and the cry of red kites and the silence drapes over the place like a silk scarf. It passes understanding and I could do with some of it right now.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Posh cot blanket
Hiya
Yesterday saw me doing the largest felt project I've done yet. My gosh, I can't believe it was so easy. I did a cot cover for V's expectant cousin form the cashmere and wool that the kids did their best to ruin. I had to recard the lot - thankfully I've borrowed a drum carder from the Guild, but still it took me about an hour. Then when I tried to spin it I realised that the yarn would be too fine for me to work comfortably and I don't have anywhere near the time for fine spinning anyway, not this close to Christmas. But I had promised them something lovely in cashmere for their new daughter and so it must be.
Now previously I've only made saucer felt, you know the stuff you can make in a saucer and there is nothing to it because you can see it form right under your hands. There's no calico, no bubble wrap, just rubber gloves and a bit of energy. But I thought - well, I'm not going to spin it and it's just going to sit in my stash making me feel guilty well into 2008 or I can give it a go for wet felting and it can only go two ways. And fortunately it worked out just fine. It has no holes and indeed is of quite uniform thickness. One might almost suppose that I knew what I was doing!
Carded it up 30/70 cashmere and finest merino into batts off the machine, laid it out on the dining table, criss cross, bish bash bosh, jazzed it up with some space dyed tussah silk in "rosebasket" by winghams in streaks and circles
and wrapped the whole lot in an old sheet and bubble wrap. I must say that bubble wrap really kept the heat in really well and it made the felting go a lot easier too.
I was pleased that it didn't felt to the sheet too badly and after a little remilling it smoothed down nicely again. I am really pleased with it especially considering that I am a complete beginner at this. And it feels so soft and warm. Mind, it has fabulous fibres in it. There is no way I could have afforded to buy a handmade cot blanket in such materials in a store or a craft market. I guess that is the fun of being time rich rather than cash rich.
I will post a picture of it in a few days, that is to say, V will when his break starts cos for the life of me I cannot get the hang of that darned camera. So expect a wave of pics to roll across this blog starting tomorrow...
or tomorrow...
or tomorrow.
(pics added 30th December!)
And while he's doing that I'll be making a start on the batt of lilac and pink wool and silk that I got from Hereford qute soon.
Yesterday saw me doing the largest felt project I've done yet. My gosh, I can't believe it was so easy. I did a cot cover for V's expectant cousin form the cashmere and wool that the kids did their best to ruin. I had to recard the lot - thankfully I've borrowed a drum carder from the Guild, but still it took me about an hour. Then when I tried to spin it I realised that the yarn would be too fine for me to work comfortably and I don't have anywhere near the time for fine spinning anyway, not this close to Christmas. But I had promised them something lovely in cashmere for their new daughter and so it must be.
Now previously I've only made saucer felt, you know the stuff you can make in a saucer and there is nothing to it because you can see it form right under your hands. There's no calico, no bubble wrap, just rubber gloves and a bit of energy. But I thought - well, I'm not going to spin it and it's just going to sit in my stash making me feel guilty well into 2008 or I can give it a go for wet felting and it can only go two ways. And fortunately it worked out just fine. It has no holes and indeed is of quite uniform thickness. One might almost suppose that I knew what I was doing!
Carded it up 30/70 cashmere and finest merino into batts off the machine, laid it out on the dining table, criss cross, bish bash bosh, jazzed it up with some space dyed tussah silk in "rosebasket" by winghams in streaks and circles
and wrapped the whole lot in an old sheet and bubble wrap. I must say that bubble wrap really kept the heat in really well and it made the felting go a lot easier too.
I was pleased that it didn't felt to the sheet too badly and after a little remilling it smoothed down nicely again. I am really pleased with it especially considering that I am a complete beginner at this. And it feels so soft and warm. Mind, it has fabulous fibres in it. There is no way I could have afforded to buy a handmade cot blanket in such materials in a store or a craft market. I guess that is the fun of being time rich rather than cash rich.
I will post a picture of it in a few days, that is to say, V will when his break starts cos for the life of me I cannot get the hang of that darned camera. So expect a wave of pics to roll across this blog starting tomorrow...
or tomorrow...
or tomorrow.
(pics added 30th December!)
And while he's doing that I'll be making a start on the batt of lilac and pink wool and silk that I got from Hereford qute soon.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Heroes
Went to see the new Bond and it needed a bit of thought which is odd for an action film... not usually thought provoking are they? So the new boy was better than good and he had a lovely pair of shoulders and the he fell for the bird real hard so why, when she has the love of this avenging angel of a man, didn't she fight to keep it? The characters were so good, that flaw really jagged out. Who on earth, when they are loved like that chooses not to accept their blessings?
And it was this that got me thinking. Name your favourite story, and I bet it has a hero or a heroine in it that does some rescuing, be it Lancelot, the Handsome prince, the guy in Die Hard or who ever. And the tragedies are when the hero fails in some way. Hamlet dies, Godot never turns up, Giselle's prince betrays her. But we all want a hero, we want to be rescued in some way, the love that saves us. Where are we when we turn our back on that? Not a good place, that's for certain.
Of course when blue eyed Bond and his bird were in Montenegro, or sailing to Venice there was no hint that he didn't put his socks in the laundry basket or didn't clean the basin after his shave
I bet they never ran out of loo roll and he always made her a cup of tea in the morning. Yeah.
I dunno, maybe these last few days I could have done with a private yacht and a private beach. I guess I'm lucky I've got the hero even if life's other little necessaries are yet to come!
And it was this that got me thinking. Name your favourite story, and I bet it has a hero or a heroine in it that does some rescuing, be it Lancelot, the Handsome prince, the guy in Die Hard or who ever. And the tragedies are when the hero fails in some way. Hamlet dies, Godot never turns up, Giselle's prince betrays her. But we all want a hero, we want to be rescued in some way, the love that saves us. Where are we when we turn our back on that? Not a good place, that's for certain.
Of course when blue eyed Bond and his bird were in Montenegro, or sailing to Venice there was no hint that he didn't put his socks in the laundry basket or didn't clean the basin after his shave
I bet they never ran out of loo roll and he always made her a cup of tea in the morning. Yeah.
I dunno, maybe these last few days I could have done with a private yacht and a private beach. I guess I'm lucky I've got the hero even if life's other little necessaries are yet to come!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Caffine and butterflies
Hi
I'm waiting for the caffine tab to kick in and until that happens no one is going to get a scrap of work out of me today. Ive lit the fire and thats it. I've stacks to do and can't get moving. I hate this.
Went out last night with Steph and Sara, had a fantastic time. Lowthers restaurant in Upper Cwmtwrch, what a place to find a genius chef. I had pork loin with chili jam and smoked bacon with melted Welsh cheddar, it was very good indeed.
So, great food and we laughed like crazy over nothing. Bear dogs and blue reindeer in lights being some of them. Seriously we saw the biggest blooming dog in the world last night leaving the restaurant. It looked like a wolf hound only it was white and its back was hunched up and it was thicker in the waist than a wolf hound. I was very glad I was in the car and a good hundred yards away.
Anyway, we talked about homeopathy, Sara's had some good results with it. I've always been a
bit sceptical, but this morning I'd be willing to give it a go. Anything to get me moving. I'll stick to caffine for the mo though, but herbs sound so much better for you. Although, you know... opium, digitalis, nightshade, hemp, monkshood, etc... they are all herbs too.
Well, I've got cashmere to spin before Eden and Lily spread it all over the floor again (yes seriously, its amazing they are still alive) and ruby wool to crochet, bedrooms to paint and usual work to complete. One more cup of tea and I've got to start whether I can or not.
Move it you lazy tyke!
Found this butterfly and liked it "et voila"
I'm waiting for the caffine tab to kick in and until that happens no one is going to get a scrap of work out of me today. Ive lit the fire and thats it. I've stacks to do and can't get moving. I hate this.
Went out last night with Steph and Sara, had a fantastic time. Lowthers restaurant in Upper Cwmtwrch, what a place to find a genius chef. I had pork loin with chili jam and smoked bacon with melted Welsh cheddar, it was very good indeed.
So, great food and we laughed like crazy over nothing. Bear dogs and blue reindeer in lights being some of them. Seriously we saw the biggest blooming dog in the world last night leaving the restaurant. It looked like a wolf hound only it was white and its back was hunched up and it was thicker in the waist than a wolf hound. I was very glad I was in the car and a good hundred yards away.
Anyway, we talked about homeopathy, Sara's had some good results with it. I've always been a
bit sceptical, but this morning I'd be willing to give it a go. Anything to get me moving. I'll stick to caffine for the mo though, but herbs sound so much better for you. Although, you know... opium, digitalis, nightshade, hemp, monkshood, etc... they are all herbs too.
Well, I've got cashmere to spin before Eden and Lily spread it all over the floor again (yes seriously, its amazing they are still alive) and ruby wool to crochet, bedrooms to paint and usual work to complete. One more cup of tea and I've got to start whether I can or not.
Move it you lazy tyke!
Found this butterfly and liked it "et voila"
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This is my own recipe for cranberry sauce. It's not too sweet and it actually tastes of cranberry which is more than you can say of most commercially made gunk. I'm such a fan of this that I buy loads of fresh cranberries at this season and freeze them so that I have enough to last me all year. Thats a lot of cranberries mind you.
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
granulated sugar to taste
the juice and grated rind of 1 orange
5 fl oz port
ground cinnamon & ground ginger
Pick over and rinse the cranberries and tip them into a medium sized sauce pan without drying them. Put on a lowish heat and cover with a lid. Simmer gently until the fruit has mostly popped but is not mushy. Shake the pan rather than stir it. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to reach this stage.
Stir in granulated sugar to taste. This is hard to judge, so start off with about 2 tablespoons and add more if needed. Cranberries are very tart but you can get a milder batch so you need to be aware of that. The sugar causes the fruit to release juice and this is why no extra water is needed. Don't return the pan to the heat or the sugar might catch and burn. YUK.
Stir very gently and gradually the sauce will thicken and it is here that you add the port, the orange juice and rind and the merest whisper of cinnamon and ginger if you want.
Pot up into warm sterilised jars.
This is pleasant enough to eat in a sandwich on its own, but if you want to make it more like a chutney and sometimes I do then add half a red onion that has been super finely chopped and gently fried in a little butter.
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
granulated sugar to taste
the juice and grated rind of 1 orange
5 fl oz port
ground cinnamon & ground ginger
Pick over and rinse the cranberries and tip them into a medium sized sauce pan without drying them. Put on a lowish heat and cover with a lid. Simmer gently until the fruit has mostly popped but is not mushy. Shake the pan rather than stir it. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to reach this stage.
Stir in granulated sugar to taste. This is hard to judge, so start off with about 2 tablespoons and add more if needed. Cranberries are very tart but you can get a milder batch so you need to be aware of that. The sugar causes the fruit to release juice and this is why no extra water is needed. Don't return the pan to the heat or the sugar might catch and burn. YUK.
Stir very gently and gradually the sauce will thicken and it is here that you add the port, the orange juice and rind and the merest whisper of cinnamon and ginger if you want.
Pot up into warm sterilised jars.
This is pleasant enough to eat in a sandwich on its own, but if you want to make it more like a chutney and sometimes I do then add half a red onion that has been super finely chopped and gently fried in a little butter.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Dry felting
Sounds awful doesn't it? Like some sort of digusting disease that sheep invent, but no. Honestly, what a place the Guild is. Just as I get the hang of spinning and accustom myself to this terrible addiction, then I discover blogging about it which has its own peculiar charm, especially considering that no one reads this! And then I go to a dry felting workshop, completely unexpectedly as it turns out, and find yet more fibrous fun to fiddle with. I tell you only a heroin addict gets more fun from a needle than I do at the moment. Yuk. Bad taste or wot? (Never mind the hour is late and its staying in.) Get some merino top, jab it with a felting needle, keep yer fingers out the way and the world's your bowl of Uncle Robert.
So far I've done numerous flowers in varying colours and levels of success,
one Xmas tree, several Xmas puddings,
a mutant cat and a rodent of some kind that might be either a squirrel or a chipmunk if I could figure out what either one looked like.
Oh I've also done the Geoff Capes of the robin world. This lad is BIG... for a robin that is.
(Neither he, the xmas tree nor the mutant cat lasted long, they might have been big but not tough enough to stand up to Lily)
Totally unconnected but interesting enough to consider before going to sleep: What would you prefer, the ability to fly or the ability to time travel?
Just when I think I've reached a preference, the other one waves at me seductively. I really can't decide.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Announcement!! DAH DAHH!!!
Can't get near the computer because V is creating a website for Derry and Sara, but want to announce that the ruby wool for V's Crimbo jumper is done at last! Fanfare, trumpets, applause, elephant parade and all that jazz. Now that you know that, sleep well dear ones
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Out to Lunch
Well, its just five past nine in the morning and already its shaping up to an odd day. It's wet, cold and in V's pungently expressed words "It's bleedin' 'orrible out there". Still the fire is ticking over nicely and I don't have to go out to Steph's until 11.30 and even then I'm having lunch cooked for me. I'll probably take my mum's pressie with me to work on, I don't fancy lugging the wheel out in the wet.
I've spent the morning so far, writing the church's Christmas concert. I only do the words, Faith does the songs and lyrics and indeed everything else. I'd been having real difficulty getting the feel of the project this year, but I hope I have cracked it now.
I also had a candlelit bath this morning. I woke at five so that certainly allows for some "me" time. Not that I'm going to make a habit of it you understand and it was certainly relaxing enough that as yet, I don't feel sleep deprived, early days yet though I suppose.
I've also surfed around a few spinning blogs and by and large enjoyed them even if they made me feel inadequate. They were very pretty many of them with lots of photos. Oh I must get the hang of posting photos.
Well, I've more spinning to do and Rose's room needs sorting and I'm going out today so, lay on Mac Duff
I've spent the morning so far, writing the church's Christmas concert. I only do the words, Faith does the songs and lyrics and indeed everything else. I'd been having real difficulty getting the feel of the project this year, but I hope I have cracked it now.
I also had a candlelit bath this morning. I woke at five so that certainly allows for some "me" time. Not that I'm going to make a habit of it you understand and it was certainly relaxing enough that as yet, I don't feel sleep deprived, early days yet though I suppose.
I've also surfed around a few spinning blogs and by and large enjoyed them even if they made me feel inadequate. They were very pretty many of them with lots of photos. Oh I must get the hang of posting photos.
Well, I've more spinning to do and Rose's room needs sorting and I'm going out today so, lay on Mac Duff
Sunday, November 19, 2006
The Wingham Wool Sampling Day
Name a fibre that can be spun. Go on, anything you can think of. Well, it was at Stretton Sugwas Village Hall yesterday thanks to Rugh and Allan Gough of Wingham wool. There was wool of all kinds, Merino, Sheltand (three kinds) Finn, Jacob, Gotland, all sorts. There was alpaca in at least fifteen shades, some natural, some dyed . There was a rainbow of dyed merino. Silk of every form and colour, from cocoons, tops of finest mulberry to tussah to Indian noil. Linen, jute, cotton in many stages of processing. Synthetics of the weirdest kind. There was soya bean fibre (looks like honey tussah silk and spins like it too) tencel which is a kind of cellulose and beautiful stuff, and there was milk protien fibre. I kid thee not. I took a sample but I haven't have time to spin it yet.
The day went so quickly what chatting to the members of Hereford Guild and cups of tea, lunch, a stroll around the churchyard and spinning up free samples , I was in a little spot of paradise.
After all my Christmas spinning is over, I want to make myself a grey wrap if possible so I wanted to try out specific fibres to get a nice thick, soft, lofty yarn. I had though about alpaca because fellow spinner, Birdie made herself a lovely scarf in cream alpaca and it looked very luxurious. But after trying the grey I thought it was slightly too hairy and not really that soft even if spun up quite thickly, and it shed worse than my cat. No. So tried a blend of wool, alpaca and silk which sounded promising and it was exactly the right texture but rather too expensive to buy enough to make a wrap so then at last I found a funny top of jacob wool that looked like an everton mint and it spun like butter. Sold.
What else did I get?
Lots of dyed merino, I needed some more cerise to finish off Aunty Heu's shawl and I bagged up some bits and bobs of bright merino to felt with Rose and sew on the new curtains for her room. I think I'l make a few flowers to embellish Mum's pressie too.
Some tussah silk to ply with the Welsh black and silk blend that I worked up last year and has been sitting in my attic waiting for when I can steel myself to weave once more. But then I thought, well its going to have a long wait so I may as well crochet it and use the stuff rather than wasting quite a pretty yarn.
And my frivolous purchase was a batt of wool and silk that I have no project in mind for - which is always fatal.But it was such a fab colour, a mix of pinks and lilacs in wool blended with white silk. It looks like turkish delight. I had a little go at spinning some up but the yarn did not do the cloudy loveliness of the batt any justice at all, so I thought that I would take it to the dry felting workshop that the guild is running next Saturday and see what it turns into. I have never tried dry felting and have no idea what the process is but I hope it will be suitable.
soooo pretty
I also bought some camel down to draft into a roving and ply with a really thin yarn to make something fancy. The colour of camel down is not appealing. If I was to be charitable I might call it toffee, but I'm not usually charitable when it comes to brown. However, the feel of the fibre is comparable to cashmere and it is half the price. And I thought once it is made up and some brightly coloured felt flowers are sewn on it will soon cheer up.
And that is about it really I picked up a lot of little scraps for sampling later so I can order more of the fibre in the future which is really the point of the day. But I didn't look at the felting machine and I didn't get a nostepinne (balling stick - cheaper by far than a balling machine) and I resisted the angelina fibres too. As it was I spent quite enough considering Christmas is only around the corner. Which reminds me, I must get on with V's ruby wool. To paraphrase Tom Jones "I think I better spin now". See ya.
The day went so quickly what chatting to the members of Hereford Guild and cups of tea, lunch, a stroll around the churchyard and spinning up free samples , I was in a little spot of paradise.
After all my Christmas spinning is over, I want to make myself a grey wrap if possible so I wanted to try out specific fibres to get a nice thick, soft, lofty yarn. I had though about alpaca because fellow spinner, Birdie made herself a lovely scarf in cream alpaca and it looked very luxurious. But after trying the grey I thought it was slightly too hairy and not really that soft even if spun up quite thickly, and it shed worse than my cat. No. So tried a blend of wool, alpaca and silk which sounded promising and it was exactly the right texture but rather too expensive to buy enough to make a wrap so then at last I found a funny top of jacob wool that looked like an everton mint and it spun like butter. Sold.
What else did I get?
Lots of dyed merino, I needed some more cerise to finish off Aunty Heu's shawl and I bagged up some bits and bobs of bright merino to felt with Rose and sew on the new curtains for her room. I think I'l make a few flowers to embellish Mum's pressie too.
Some tussah silk to ply with the Welsh black and silk blend that I worked up last year and has been sitting in my attic waiting for when I can steel myself to weave once more. But then I thought, well its going to have a long wait so I may as well crochet it and use the stuff rather than wasting quite a pretty yarn.
And my frivolous purchase was a batt of wool and silk that I have no project in mind for - which is always fatal.But it was such a fab colour, a mix of pinks and lilacs in wool blended with white silk. It looks like turkish delight. I had a little go at spinning some up but the yarn did not do the cloudy loveliness of the batt any justice at all, so I thought that I would take it to the dry felting workshop that the guild is running next Saturday and see what it turns into. I have never tried dry felting and have no idea what the process is but I hope it will be suitable.
soooo prettyI also bought some camel down to draft into a roving and ply with a really thin yarn to make something fancy. The colour of camel down is not appealing. If I was to be charitable I might call it toffee, but I'm not usually charitable when it comes to brown. However, the feel of the fibre is comparable to cashmere and it is half the price. And I thought once it is made up and some brightly coloured felt flowers are sewn on it will soon cheer up.
And that is about it really I picked up a lot of little scraps for sampling later so I can order more of the fibre in the future which is really the point of the day. But I didn't look at the felting machine and I didn't get a nostepinne (balling stick - cheaper by far than a balling machine) and I resisted the angelina fibres too. As it was I spent quite enough considering Christmas is only around the corner. Which reminds me, I must get on with V's ruby wool. To paraphrase Tom Jones "I think I better spin now". See ya.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Get the Mulled wine out Mother, I'm freezing
Cold, cold, cold. The wind is whipping down the valley and slicing right through anyone who gets in its way. Back from a lovely coffee morning with Sharon from church and snuggled up in front of a blazing wood fire with Lily and Eden munching on buttered pasta and ham with fried aubergines Yum. Brambly Hedge is on the video - The Secret Stair and the mice are tucking into their mid winter feast and I am just starting to thaw out. My feet are tingling. Thought I'd do a spot of blogging before my cup of tea and onto the work of the day.
Its a mulled wine and chestnut evening tonight if I am any judge. I think we'll have lamb koftas and savoury rice with the last of the aubergine dressed in tumeric. Chestnuts and mulled wine to fill up any gaps left over with some toasted marshmallows for something sweet. Lovely.
Recipe for Mulled Wine
I have perfected this recipe over many years and I think it is as close to perfect as I'm ever going to get anything
Its a mulled wine and chestnut evening tonight if I am any judge. I think we'll have lamb koftas and savoury rice with the last of the aubergine dressed in tumeric. Chestnuts and mulled wine to fill up any gaps left over with some toasted marshmallows for something sweet. Lovely.
Recipe for Mulled Wine
I have perfected this recipe over many years and I think it is as close to perfect as I'm ever going to get anything
Bottle of inexpensive red wine. ( I use the French table wine from Tescos but the Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon is good too
1 orange, sliced into half inch slices, dont use the top or bottom slice as there is too much pith in proportion to flesh and pith makes it taste bitter. (I will resist the urge to make any further comment here)
Brandy or port or sherry in order of preference. If you want to make falling down water then use all three. Fill a large mug half full with chosen plonk - Tesco's own tawny port is lovely for this - and top up to full with water. Add another mug of water or else you'll be asleep by eight.
Soft brown sugar to taste. I use about 1 or 2 tablespoons. Don't use too much or else it will start to taste medicinal, weird I know but there it is.
5 cloves
1 large cinnamon stick. Tap the stick very gently with a wooden spoon. It releases the scent of the spice into the wine.
1 decent sized piece of whole dried ginger root. This can be difficult to get hold of. I got mine in a health food shop in Aberystwyth, Do not be tempted to use powdered ginger, it clouds the wine and it hangs around on the tongue too. If you cant get it whole dried, use fresh but then make it a large piece.
Put all the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat very gently until steam starts to curl slowly from the pan. Strain and serve in heat proof glasses.
DON'T DRINK THIS AND DRIVE AS IT IS STRONG STUFF!
Roasted chestnuts are the desired accompaniment with this but gingerbread is good too.
Right, I'm off to the kitchen to make some serious comfort food.
1 orange, sliced into half inch slices, dont use the top or bottom slice as there is too much pith in proportion to flesh and pith makes it taste bitter. (I will resist the urge to make any further comment here)
Brandy or port or sherry in order of preference. If you want to make falling down water then use all three. Fill a large mug half full with chosen plonk - Tesco's own tawny port is lovely for this - and top up to full with water. Add another mug of water or else you'll be asleep by eight.
Soft brown sugar to taste. I use about 1 or 2 tablespoons. Don't use too much or else it will start to taste medicinal, weird I know but there it is.
5 cloves
1 large cinnamon stick. Tap the stick very gently with a wooden spoon. It releases the scent of the spice into the wine.
1 decent sized piece of whole dried ginger root. This can be difficult to get hold of. I got mine in a health food shop in Aberystwyth, Do not be tempted to use powdered ginger, it clouds the wine and it hangs around on the tongue too. If you cant get it whole dried, use fresh but then make it a large piece.
Put all the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat very gently until steam starts to curl slowly from the pan. Strain and serve in heat proof glasses.
DON'T DRINK THIS AND DRIVE AS IT IS STRONG STUFF!
Roasted chestnuts are the desired accompaniment with this but gingerbread is good too.
Right, I'm off to the kitchen to make some serious comfort food.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Puritan collar shawl
I liked the puritan collar shawl so much and it eventually worked out to be quite simple once I'd got the hang of it that I decided to make another one for V's aunt. I found a brilliant cerise yarn very chunkily spun in a single and away to go.
Pattern for Puritan collar shawl
With chunky yarn and 15mm hook, ch as long as you want the shawl to be from elbow to elbow. I did about 35 ch.
Foundation row: 1 dc into back of each ch.
Row 2: * ch 3, miss 1 dc, dc into next dc, rep from * to end.
Row 3: * ch 3, dc into 3ch space, rep from * to end.
These two rows form the pattern (very simple isn't it? Barely a pattern at all really)
Work this for 4 or 5 rows depending on how wide you want the shawl to be. Take into consideration the breath of the shoulders that are going underneath and be adaptable. With this pattern, an error does not really matter because if the work has to be undone, it works back up so amazingly quickly
For example, my sister is very slight, I used a fine spun yarn, plied double, with a 10mm hook and the result was light and cobwebby. Aunty Heu is a far sturdier gal and needs something with a bit of weight to it, hence thicker gauge yarn and 15mm hook, change width according to recipient but the premise stays the same
I find undoing very disheartening and have decided that from now on, chunky and quick is the only way to be.
The most important thing however, is to be flexible with the work. Perfectionism and I do not get on. If its an pretty colour and it is soft to touch, preferably warm as well then I am happy enough. That said, ask me about the cashmere scarf I worked for my brother in law. It was all the above and the stiches were not mutilated at all but what in the unspun fibre appeared to be a soft cocoa brown, turned out in a worked up scarf to be a desperately awful khaki or as the Welsh say "cachi" which translates as a crude word for poo.
Anyway, back to the pattern.
By now shawl should be about 36 inches long and about 6 inches wide. Break off yarn and count in to the 5th 3ch sp. Start work from here in pattern rows. Continue in row until you reach the 5th 3 ch sp from end and stop there. Work only those few middle stitches for another 6 rows. break off yarn and work in ends.
You could if you like work a contrasting colour round the edge in dc.
It should now look like one half of a bardot style cropped, short sleeved top. I'll see if I can put a picture of mine in for you to compare
Pattern for Puritan collar shawl
With chunky yarn and 15mm hook, ch as long as you want the shawl to be from elbow to elbow. I did about 35 ch.
Foundation row: 1 dc into back of each ch.
Row 2: * ch 3, miss 1 dc, dc into next dc, rep from * to end.
Row 3: * ch 3, dc into 3ch space, rep from * to end.
These two rows form the pattern (very simple isn't it? Barely a pattern at all really)
Work this for 4 or 5 rows depending on how wide you want the shawl to be. Take into consideration the breath of the shoulders that are going underneath and be adaptable. With this pattern, an error does not really matter because if the work has to be undone, it works back up so amazingly quickly
For example, my sister is very slight, I used a fine spun yarn, plied double, with a 10mm hook and the result was light and cobwebby. Aunty Heu is a far sturdier gal and needs something with a bit of weight to it, hence thicker gauge yarn and 15mm hook, change width according to recipient but the premise stays the same
I find undoing very disheartening and have decided that from now on, chunky and quick is the only way to be.
The most important thing however, is to be flexible with the work. Perfectionism and I do not get on. If its an pretty colour and it is soft to touch, preferably warm as well then I am happy enough. That said, ask me about the cashmere scarf I worked for my brother in law. It was all the above and the stiches were not mutilated at all but what in the unspun fibre appeared to be a soft cocoa brown, turned out in a worked up scarf to be a desperately awful khaki or as the Welsh say "cachi" which translates as a crude word for poo.
Anyway, back to the pattern.
By now shawl should be about 36 inches long and about 6 inches wide. Break off yarn and count in to the 5th 3ch sp. Start work from here in pattern rows. Continue in row until you reach the 5th 3 ch sp from end and stop there. Work only those few middle stitches for another 6 rows. break off yarn and work in ends.
You could if you like work a contrasting colour round the edge in dc.
It should now look like one half of a bardot style cropped, short sleeved top. I'll see if I can put a picture of mine in for you to compare
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Catching up
Oh my gosh, have I been busy or what. I don't wanna brag or nuthin but I'm a raging ball of wild fur.
Yes I've finally managed to get to see Brother Bear and I want Koda. Any way, got the threading hooks done for the guild AGM, very pretty they were too. Wanted to take a photo but lost the camera - found now but hooks are gone to various homes at the bring and buy.
I have gone banannas with the spinning and crochet. Sooo happy to have finished Rose's amethyst jumper,
Yes I've finally managed to get to see Brother Bear and I want Koda. Any way, got the threading hooks done for the guild AGM, very pretty they were too. Wanted to take a photo but lost the camera - found now but hooks are gone to various homes at the bring and buy.
I have gone banannas with the spinning and crochet. Sooo happy to have finished Rose's amethyst jumper,
Finished Lily's poncho, ran out of wool and had to order more from Winghams. Still haven't had time to spin that up because I was wrestling with a cow of a pattern for shawl for Lady Grace. In the end I gave up and rehacked it ala Siani. It looks umm... individual now. More a puritan collar than shawl but light enough for bed wear which is where it will be used I presume.
Lady Grace has a lovely house and she keeps it immaculate but it is plentifully supplied with draughts. I did her a little Juliet cap to go with. I hope she'll spot the irony. You never know.
Lady Grace has a lovely house and she keeps it immaculate but it is plentifully supplied with draughts. I did her a little Juliet cap to go with. I hope she'll spot the irony. You never know.
Its a lovely yarn mind. Merino, cashmere, a little silk and a touch of angora for texture, all in cream and it is superbly light but warm. I want one myself but you know how it is. I haven't made anything for myself just yet.
I'm getting there on the ruby wool for V's Christmas jumper. He's a bit disgruntled that I havent covered more ground with it and I thought I would have had it all spun up by now but I reckon there is only about 200g to go now.
And best of all Oh frabjous day, calloo, callay! there is a sampling day by Wingham in Hereford this Saturday. Stretton Sugwas (I kid thee not, where do the English get these names from?) village hall 10 am til 4 pm and I'm a happy bunny. Okay so Hereford isn't exactly a hop skip and a jump from Neath but eighty miles is a near neighbour in the Outback. I must hoover my skip of a car.
I'm getting there on the ruby wool for V's Christmas jumper. He's a bit disgruntled that I havent covered more ground with it and I thought I would have had it all spun up by now but I reckon there is only about 200g to go now.
And best of all Oh frabjous day, calloo, callay! there is a sampling day by Wingham in Hereford this Saturday. Stretton Sugwas (I kid thee not, where do the English get these names from?) village hall 10 am til 4 pm and I'm a happy bunny. Okay so Hereford isn't exactly a hop skip and a jump from Neath but eighty miles is a near neighbour in the Outback. I must hoover my skip of a car.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Scary story for Halloween
Today is the 31st October, I saw a mask for sale in Tescos and it was worthy of something out of Buffy. I quite like the jack o lanterns and the bobbing apples, but I don't much like the fear selling that goes round at this time of year or the glamourisation of devils. So I thought I'd pass on one of my favourite stories of one of my favourite heroes of faith in honour of All Hallows Eve.
At the beginning of the last century, in the north of England there lived a holy man of God. His name was Smith Wigglesworth. He was used in many miracles, healings and he was a gifted teacher, leading by example rather than force of character, though he was no pushover as this story attests.
One night as Wigglesworth lay sleeping he was awoken by that weird feeling that one gets when one knows that one is not alone. The stink in the room was nauseating and a tremendously powerful presence was apparent. Wigglesworth fumbled for the bedside candle, lit it and focussed on the figure of the Evil One himself sitting at the bottom of the bed.
Imagine, the once beautiful now tortured face of the fallen angel. A form that once sang and danced before the throne of God now twisted by unspeakable evil within feet of an ordinary, rather elderly man.
Now Wigglesworth was a Yorkshireman, a race reknown for their unflappability and plain speaking, but surely he would be horrified by this frightful apparition. So, what did he do?
"Oh, its only you" he said. And he blew the candle out and went back to sleep, secure in faith, heart and spirit.
Wigglesworth gave glory to God and nothing else. Amen.
At the beginning of the last century, in the north of England there lived a holy man of God. His name was Smith Wigglesworth. He was used in many miracles, healings and he was a gifted teacher, leading by example rather than force of character, though he was no pushover as this story attests.
One night as Wigglesworth lay sleeping he was awoken by that weird feeling that one gets when one knows that one is not alone. The stink in the room was nauseating and a tremendously powerful presence was apparent. Wigglesworth fumbled for the bedside candle, lit it and focussed on the figure of the Evil One himself sitting at the bottom of the bed.
Imagine, the once beautiful now tortured face of the fallen angel. A form that once sang and danced before the throne of God now twisted by unspeakable evil within feet of an ordinary, rather elderly man.
Now Wigglesworth was a Yorkshireman, a race reknown for their unflappability and plain speaking, but surely he would be horrified by this frightful apparition. So, what did he do?
"Oh, its only you" he said. And he blew the candle out and went back to sleep, secure in faith, heart and spirit.
Wigglesworth gave glory to God and nothing else. Amen.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Z for Zachariah
We got the cat. Another big black tom and I triedto name him Fairfax but V didn't like it so we settled on Zac. It suits him, he has a lovely nature, very affectionate and although his coat is in a bit of a state and it needed to be cut right down to the skin which involved a fair bit of pulling about, he took it all really well and seemed to enjoy the affection.Isn't he a sweetie?
I did a fair bit of work today on the purple jumper. Simple pattern in double crochet over twenty stitches on a huge hook 15mm surina wood. Hooking away quite merrily and then got distracted for two minutes to attend to something else and Eden, youngest twin unwound not only almost the whole ball of wool but about five rows of work which doesn't sound much, but with this guage wool and needle it is in fact about half the jumper.
Arrrgh!
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Fifty two ways to name a cat
Today we are hopefully going to get a new cat. Our beloved beautiful big black tom, Arthur died only a few days ago, some might say that he is not yet cold in his grave, but the house seems wrong with no moggie slinking around and I cannot bear it. I am hoping that a new cat, though he could not replace Arthur, will stop me from seeing Arthur's favourite mooching places so appallingly empty.
So we are off to the cat shelter in the next valley with the lovely Liz in attendance, she matches pets to people, a feline matchmaker, and she told me that this cat might be right for us. I hope she is right.
So to names. It is hard to name a pet that has not yet been seen so we have come up with a few differing ones to suit his personality and in deference to the fact that this one is not Mr Right and we may fall in love with a female we have chosen a few lady names too And here they are in no particular order
Samwise; Bumble; Possum; Marbles; Atticus; Fairfax; Mango; Bandit; Littlefoot; Rochester; Cosmo; and V's particular favourite Bugger, only because he can then legally say Bugger the cat. I find it has a certain charm but I don't think that I would want to call the animal in to dinner chirping that particular word from the doorstep, or indeed having the girls use it at all, even though they hear their parents using it far more often than they should.
Girls names are Bea; Uma; Sophia; Josie; Ribbon; Feather; Cotton and Moth.
I went to this cat names search site on the web and there were thousands of names. I narrowed it down to fifty two on paper and the favourites are here.
We'll probably name him Arthur.
So to names. It is hard to name a pet that has not yet been seen so we have come up with a few differing ones to suit his personality and in deference to the fact that this one is not Mr Right and we may fall in love with a female we have chosen a few lady names too And here they are in no particular order
Samwise; Bumble; Possum; Marbles; Atticus; Fairfax; Mango; Bandit; Littlefoot; Rochester; Cosmo; and V's particular favourite Bugger, only because he can then legally say Bugger the cat. I find it has a certain charm but I don't think that I would want to call the animal in to dinner chirping that particular word from the doorstep, or indeed having the girls use it at all, even though they hear their parents using it far more often than they should.
Girls names are Bea; Uma; Sophia; Josie; Ribbon; Feather; Cotton and Moth.
I went to this cat names search site on the web and there were thousands of names. I narrowed it down to fifty two on paper and the favourites are here.
We'll probably name him Arthur.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Wonderland calling
Wow, I thought spinning was addictive, it looks like blogging will soon become my drug of choice.
I've had real fun today playing with computer stuff, trying to up load photos - which is the easiest bit actually cos me camera requires not only batteries, yup I can manage that one, but apparently its integral memory is full. I know this because it told me so, then it blew a rasberry at me, told me its batteries were knackered and switched itself off. So now all I have to do is find a memory stick and do what ever it is one does with it to relieve my constipated little camera.
Several problems arise at this point
Never mind. Today I am Alice, Blogger is the white rabbit, lappie is the Cheshire cat, and V, my caterpillar - font of all things mystical, enigmatical and computerish is in Ludlow for the weekend and is faintly alarmed that I have ventured into Wonderland without him.
But I take heart that though this tecnical illiterate has killed two fridges, a TV ( a telly that is, not a crossdresser cos that would be illegal, dear children) and a video recorder, I have yet to seriously fry a computer
That said, the day is not yet over, indeed the night is young.
I may even manage to get some crocheting done before its time for cocoa and beddy byes
I've had real fun today playing with computer stuff, trying to up load photos - which is the easiest bit actually cos me camera requires not only batteries, yup I can manage that one, but apparently its integral memory is full. I know this because it told me so, then it blew a rasberry at me, told me its batteries were knackered and switched itself off. So now all I have to do is find a memory stick and do what ever it is one does with it to relieve my constipated little camera.
Several problems arise at this point
- What is a memory stick, what do they look like and where has V hidden them?
- When you have this stick what do you do with it?
- What is a USB anyway?
- The image has to be below 50 MB, okay managed that cos adobe did it for me, but it leads me to the next point of
- What is a URL and how does one get it shorter than 68 characters? I don't know if its me but the whack of gibberish I copied and pasted into the given space was almost as long as this post!
Never mind. Today I am Alice, Blogger is the white rabbit, lappie is the Cheshire cat, and V, my caterpillar - font of all things mystical, enigmatical and computerish is in Ludlow for the weekend and is faintly alarmed that I have ventured into Wonderland without him.
But I take heart that though this tecnical illiterate has killed two fridges, a TV ( a telly that is, not a crossdresser cos that would be illegal, dear children) and a video recorder, I have yet to seriously fry a computer
That said, the day is not yet over, indeed the night is young.
I may even manage to get some crocheting done before its time for cocoa and beddy byes
Todays things to do
Well,
Spinning - finish off the purple merino for Rose's Crimbo jumper. Fantastic fibre, just slippery enough to make it interesting to spin and I've made some whopping errors in it, snap or unravel., they have to come out somehow. I've made it into a reasonably chunky yarn and plied it double but with a tight twist so its not so very casual.
Crochet - start on the said purple. I'm adapting a pattern written for a lighter weight yarn and experimenting with a 15mm hook, so it could well be a disaster but it will work up so quickly that I'll soon know.
Thats the trouble with spinning your own yarn and not being conversant with yarn weights. Who knows what I'm going to get? But they do say that half the fun is getting there. Rose won't care, she chose the colour herself and while I think amethyst is a challenging colour for a child to wear and I'd have prefered her to go for the delphinium blue that would have matched her eyes perfectly - well it's what she wanted and it is her jumper after all. I've already knitted the hem and collar in a commercial velvet eyelash yarn in glowing jewel tones of sapphire, amethyst and azure with a dash of fuscia. I knit like a bear but I managed somehow. I could never have crocheted it - too fluffy and I wouldn't have been able to see where I was going.
As soon as I can figure out the digital camera and how to post a photo I'd like to get some progress pics up on here.
Wire work - don't know if going to get to this but I plan on designing some spinning wheel threader hooks to take to the guild's bring and buy next week. I don't use one myself as my Louet wheel oriface is large enough to do without a hook but the ashfords need them and it might be nice to have a beaded handle rather than the plain wooden ones they customarily have
Anyway, on with the day. Chores half done but the other half to do before the fun starts.
Spinning - finish off the purple merino for Rose's Crimbo jumper. Fantastic fibre, just slippery enough to make it interesting to spin and I've made some whopping errors in it, snap or unravel., they have to come out somehow. I've made it into a reasonably chunky yarn and plied it double but with a tight twist so its not so very casual.
Crochet - start on the said purple. I'm adapting a pattern written for a lighter weight yarn and experimenting with a 15mm hook, so it could well be a disaster but it will work up so quickly that I'll soon know.
Thats the trouble with spinning your own yarn and not being conversant with yarn weights. Who knows what I'm going to get? But they do say that half the fun is getting there. Rose won't care, she chose the colour herself and while I think amethyst is a challenging colour for a child to wear and I'd have prefered her to go for the delphinium blue that would have matched her eyes perfectly - well it's what she wanted and it is her jumper after all. I've already knitted the hem and collar in a commercial velvet eyelash yarn in glowing jewel tones of sapphire, amethyst and azure with a dash of fuscia. I knit like a bear but I managed somehow. I could never have crocheted it - too fluffy and I wouldn't have been able to see where I was going.
As soon as I can figure out the digital camera and how to post a photo I'd like to get some progress pics up on here.
Wire work - don't know if going to get to this but I plan on designing some spinning wheel threader hooks to take to the guild's bring and buy next week. I don't use one myself as my Louet wheel oriface is large enough to do without a hook but the ashfords need them and it might be nice to have a beaded handle rather than the plain wooden ones they customarily have
Anyway, on with the day. Chores half done but the other half to do before the fun starts.
Friday, October 20, 2006
testing testing one two
Wow, I ve surprised myself. The worlds biggest technophobe has just started a blog. I feel like I'm about to take my driving test. Spooky and spooked
Thursday, October 19, 2006
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